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The Marsupials of Australia
Marsupials are a primitive type of mammal. They give birth to relatively undeveloped young that are transferred to a pouch. It is in the pouch that the young fully develop.
The name marsupial comes from the Latin word "marsupium" meaning pouched.
Australia is the land of the marsupial. It was isolated for so long that marsupials survived here when they were out-competed and became extinct in many other parts of the world.
Most of the marsupial species still in existence today are found in Australia and New Guinea with the remainder located in South America.
We need identification photos for this section. Please help if you can. This section is still in development. It is intended that this section will become a quick reference guide for
the identification of West Australian marsupials.
Following is a list of Australian marsupials and entries that refer to species occurring in Western Australia will be hopefully be developed further as time permits.
BANDICOOTS AND BILBIES
FAMILY Peramelidae
Bandicoots:
golden bandicoot Isoodon auratus
eastern barred bandicoot Perameles gunnii
long-nosed Bandicoot Perameles nasuta
southern brown bandicoot Isoodon obesulus Also called : Quenda
Southern brown bandicoot (Quenda) (c) DEC / Tricia Sprigg
western barred bandicoot Perameles bougainville
northern brown bandicoot Isoodon macrourus
Greater Bilby Macrotis lagotis Also called : Dalgyte, Pinkie, Rabbit eared bandicoot.
FAMILY Peroryctidae
rufous spiny bandicoot Echymipera rufescens
CARNIVOROUS MARSUPIALS
FAMILY Dasyuridae
Tasmanian Devil Sarcophilus harrisii
Quolls:
northern quoll Dasyurus hallucatus
spotted-tailed quoll Dasyurus maculatus
eastern quoll Dasyurus viverrinus
western quoll Dasyurus geoffroii
Mulgara Dasycercus
Ampurta Dasycercus hillieri
Kaluta Dasykaluta rosamondae
Kowari Dasyuroides byrnei
Dibblers:
southern dibbler Parantechinus apicalis
northern dibbler Parantechinus bilarni
Pseudantechinuses:
fat-tailed pseudantechinus Pseudantechinus macdonnellensis
Carpentarian pseudantechinus Pseudantechinus mimulus
ningbing pseudantechinus Pseudantechinus ningbing
Woolley's pseudantechinus Pseudantechinus woolleyae
Antechinuses:
dusky antechinus Antechinus swainsonii
yellow-footed antechinus Antechinus flavipes
brown antechinus Antechinus stuartii
fawn antechinus Antechinus bellus
cinnamon antechinus Antechinus leo
Atherton antechinus Antechinus godmani
swamp antechinus Antechinus minimus
Phascogales:
brush-tailed phascogale Phascogale tapoatafa
red-tailed phascogale Phascogale calura
Dunnarts:
lesser hairy-footed dunnart Sminthopsis youngsoni
hairy-footed dunnart Sminthopsis hirtipes
stripe-faced dunnart Sminthopsis macroura
common dunnart Sminthopsis murina
little long-tailed dunnart Sminthopsis dolichura
Julia Creek dunnart Sminthopsis douglasi
long-tailed dunnart Sminthopsis longicaudata
red-cheeked dunnart Sminthopsis virginiae
fat-tailed dunnart Sminthopsis crassicaudata
Ooldea dunnart Sminthopsis ooldea
white-footed dunnart Sminthopsis leucopus
Gilbert's dunnart Sminthopsis gilberti
Butler's dunnart Sminthopsis butleri
chestnut dunnart Sminthopsis archeri
sandhill dunnart Sminthopsis psammophila
Kakadu dunnart Sminthopsis bindi
Kangaroo Island dunnart Sminthopsis aitkeni
grey-bellied dunnart Sminthopsis griseoventer
white-tailed dunnart Sminthopsis granulipes
Kultarr Antechinomys laniger
Ninguais:
wongai ningaui Ningaui ridei
Pilbara ningaui Ningaui timealeyi
southern ningaui Ningaui yvonneae
Planigales:
common planigale Planigale maculata
Giles' planigale Planigale gilesi
long-tailed planigale Planigale ingrami
narrow-nosed planigale Planigale tenuirostris
KANGAROOS AND RELATIVES
FAMILY Macropodidae
Kangaroos, Wallabies & Wallaroos:
red kangaroo Macropus rufus
whiptail wallaby Macropus parryi
Tammar wallaby Macropus eugenii
black-striped wallaby Macropus dorsalis
antilopine wallaroo Macropus antilopinus
eastern grey kangaroo Macropus giganteus
red-necked wallaby Macropus rufogriseus
western brush wallaby Macropus irma
black wallaroo Macropus bernardus
western grey kangaroo Macropus fuliginosus
Parma wallaby Macropus parma
agile wallaby Macropus agilis
common wallaroo Macropus robustus
Tree-kangaroos:
Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo Dendrolagus lumholtzi
Bennett's tree-kangaroo Dendrolagus bennettianus
Nailtail Wallabies:
bridled nailtail wallaby Onychogalea fraenata
northern nailtail wallaby Onychogalea unguifera
Hare-wallabies:
spectacled hare-wallaby Lagorchestes conspicillatus
rufous hare-wallaby Lagorchestes hirsutus Also called : Mala
banded hare-wallaby Lagostrophus fasciatus Also called mrenine
Banded hare-wallaby (c) Gary Warner
Pademelons:
red-legged pademelon Thylogale stigmatica
red-necked pademelon Thylogale thetis
red-bellied pademelon Thylogale billardierii
Quokka Setonix brachyurus
Swamp Wallaby Wallabia bicolor
Rock-wallabies:
allied rock-wallaby Petrogale assimilis
Proserpine rock-wallaby Petrogale persephone
Herbert's rock-wallaby Petrogale herberti
monjon Petrogale burbidgei
black-footed rock-wallaby Petrogale lateralis
unadorned rock-wallaby Petrogale inornata
short-eared rock-wallaby Petrogale brachyotis
Cape York rock-wallaby Petrogale coenensis
yellow-footed rock-wallaby Petrogale xanthopus
brush-tailed rock-wallaby Petrogale penicillata
narbalek
Godman's rock-wallaby Petrogale godmani
FAMILY Potoroidae
Rat-kangaroos:
musky rat-kangaroo Hypsiprymnodon moschatus
desert rat-kangaroo Caloprymnus campestris
Bettongs:
Tasmanian bettong Bettongia gaimardi
rufous bettong Aepyprymnus rufescens
northern bettong Bettongia tropica
brush-tailed bettong Bettongia penicillata Also called : Woylie
burrowing bettong Bettongia lesueur Also called : Boodie
Shark Bay boodie (c) DEC / Babs and Bert Wells
Potoroos:
broad-faced potoroo Potorous platyops
Gilbert's potoroo Potorous gilbertii
long-footed potoroo Potorous longipes
long-nosed potoroo Potorous tridactylus
KOALA
FAMILY Phascolarctidae
koala Phascolarctos cinereus Not native to W.A.
MARSUPIAL MOLE
FAMILY Notoryctidae
Southern Marsupial Mole Notoryctes typhlops
Northern Marsupial Mole Notoryctes caurinus
NUMBAT
FAMILY Myrmecobiidae
numbat Myrmecobius fasciatus Also called : walpurti
Numbats once ranged as far east as New South Wales but are now restricted to un-cleared areas of W.A.s south west. In 1973 they became the state's mammal emblem.
The numbat is basically a termite eater and eats up to 20,000 termites a day. This makes them difficult to keep or breed in captivity. When, in the late 1970s, the numbat population began to decline alarmingly, it was necessary to establish captive breeding colonies to safeguard the species.
The most likely cause of the population decline was the presence of fixes. Once baiting programmes started, the numbers of numbats in the baited areas increased where-as numbers in un-baited areas either continued to decline or remained low.
Areas where numbats had become extinct could now be re-populated once foxes had been removed. One such area was Boyagin Rock near Narrogin.
POSSUMS AND GLIDERS
FAMILY Acrobatidae
feathertail glider Acrobates pygmaeus
FAMILY Tarsidedidae
honey possum Tarsipes rostratus
FAMILY Phalangeridae
Brushtail Possums:
common brushtail possum Trichosurus vulpecula
mountain brushtail possum Trichosurus cunninghami
scaly-tailed possum Wyulda squamicaudata
Cuscuses:
common spotted cuscus Spilocuscus maculatus
southern common cuscus Phalanger mimicus
FAMILY Petauridae
Gliding Possums:
Leadbeater's possum Gymnobelideus leadbeateri
squirrel glider Petaurus norfolcensis
striped possum Dactylopsila trivirgata
yellow-bellied glider Petaurus australis
sugar glider Petaurus breviceps
mahogany glider Petaurus gracilis
FAMILY Pseudocheiridae
Ringtail Possums:
common ringtail possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus
Daintree River ringtail possum Pseudochirulus cinereus
rock ringtail possum Petropseudes dahli
western ringtail possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus occidentalis
Herbert River ringtail possum Pseudochirulus herbertensis
green ringtail possum Pseudochirops archeri
lemuroid ringtail possum Hemibelideus lemuroides
Greater Glider Petauroides volans
FAMILY Burramyidae
Pygmy-possums:
mountain pygmy-possum Burramys parvus
western pygmy-possum Cercartetus concinnus<
long-tailed pygmy-possum Cercartetus caudatus
eastern pygmy-possum Cercartetus nanus
little pygmy-possum
WOMBATS
FAMILY Vombatidae
common wombat Vombatus ursinus
northern hairy-nosed wombat Lasiorhinus krefftii
southern hairy-nosed wombat Lasiorhinus latifrons
SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION ORDER
(Lowest to highest)
Species
Genus
Family
Order
Subclass
Class
Subphylum
Phylum
Kingdom
To request help for sick and injured wildlife you can call Wildcare on 08 9474 9055
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